Over this past weekend I was working on designing a website for a side project that I am working on (details will come shortly). I am designing and hosting that site with Squarespace, just like this blog. The new site is roughly 10 pages with several different types of content that I needed to write and it took me all weekend to create. The length of time it took isn't an issue, and I had fun creating the site. What got me thinking is early this week I was working on one page that needed updating and the wysiwyg spell check broke the code in the page causing a mess on the bottom half. As I was attempting to fall asleep last night I couldn't stop thinking about this.

I kept picturing messy code, a confusing CMS, and something that is not user friendly (it only supports IE...do I need to go any farther?). Something that shouldn't be hard for me to update, and yet, I struggle each time. Why can't the UI be all nice, pretty, and work well like squarespace? Then, I came to the conclusion that it just can't. It isn't possible. The CMS UI is stuck in 1995 while others have moved forward. The organization has chosen this path with this particular CMS.

My fascination with such a well made product goes along with what I am learning about myself through professional development opportunities. I like the advanced processes and I like the processes that make my life easier. I do not understand those that are stuck back in the old ways or just do things that work; I want them to work well. This same thinking is also why I am a vocal Mac addict. The user interface on both is set up to work well and make my life easier, and in return, quicker to execute. I can do things easily and quickly; so I am happy.

It is hard to know that there isn't anything I can do to make the difficult CMS better. That isn't my department. What I can do, is educate those around me about the newer advanced UIs out there. Ones that would make all of our lives so much easier and less complicated. Plus, show off my new site which I hope to be able to do this week, we will have to see.